Kent Hughes potentially hits a home run with the acquisition of an extremely talented center
Montreal Canadiens fans were thrilled when Celine Dion announced the selection of Ivan Demidov fifth overall in the draft on June 28.
Of course, the SKA St. Petersburg forward has a very promising future, but the Habs' management potentially struck another big blow by drafting Michael Hage 21st overall.
In fact, the 18-year-old center, who is in his first season with the University of Michigan, has simply been dominant since the start of the NCAA season.
He notably had an exceptional weekend with three goals and four assists (7 points) in two games against Penn State University, and he recorded five points in last night's game.
Compared to Jack Eichel by some observers, the Montreal Canadiens' prospect now ranks 7th in the NCAA with an average of 1.45 points per game, having accumulated 16 points, including 8 goals, in only 11 games.
He also ranks ahead of a certain James Hagens, who is seen as the undisputed first choice of the 2025 draft, or even Ryan Leonard, who is in his second year at Boston College after being selected 8th overall by the Washington Capitals in 2023.
In addition, his offensive production is all the more impressive when you consider that Michael Hage is playing in a much less talented team than Leonard or Hagens.
It's still too early to tell what kind of player Hage will become in the Bettman league, but there's no doubt that the Wolverines' No. 19 has some very interesting offensive skills.
With a blistering shot, incredible vision and exceptional puck handling, the 6-foot-1 center has all the makings of a top-6 forward with the Montreal Canadiens.
With the Canadiens struggling to find a center to lead their second line, it will be fascinating to see if Hage signs with the organization after his college season.
| POLL | ||
Do you think Michael Hage could possibly surpass Nick Suzuki? | ||
| Yes | 79 | 73.1 % |
| No | 29 | 26.9 % |
| List of polls | ||
